Cloud Computing A gaze through a foggy crystal

Cloud Computing – A gaze through a foggy crystal ball Vasant Raval vraval@creighton. edu In cooperation with: Syntel, Inc.

A Peak at the Past • Computing as – A means to generate efficiency – An enabler of systems and processes – A medium for knowledge creation – A provider of business intelligence – An active player in innovation

The past few decades. . . • Our physical world • The idea of sharing – The idea of sharing in the virtual world • The idea of sharing everything – Utility computing – Expanded notion of the term infrastructure • Our virtual world transcends physical, national, legal, societal boundaries

Physical vs. Logical • The sheer beauty of separating what it provides how it provides (i. e. , implemented or hosted). • Increasing separation of the two views. • From technology to economy – The Internet as a communication channel – Delivery of service over the Internet as an economy (the consumption of everything from storage to computation to video and beyond) • The case of Turbotax • How far could we go in distancing what from how? • Are what issues of security different than how issues?

Gartner’s view

Attributes of Cloud Computing • Service-based – ready to use services; a business proposition, not a technology implementation • Scalable and elastic – services scale on demand, up or down, and computing resources allow this to happen • Shared – associated with optimization of resource utilization, with a viable user base • Metered by use – rate card based on what, how much, when, etc. • Uses network of networks (the Internet) – clouds can be only up there! Wide spread, common protocols, and basic standards – especially, standards of communication - remain the same. Adapted from: Gartner Highlights Five Attributes of Cloud Computing June 23, 2009

Clouds shaping destiny: What’s in store for us? • • • Shifting of resources Reallocation in a dramatic way Potentially, overall reduction, not an increase Better bonding of technology with business propositions Preparing the industry (two different markets) – Providers of services – Consumers of services • Question: Do I have to move to the clouds? – Mike Hurd, CEO of HP • Trying to see as far out as we can – When cloud computing becomes pervasive, only blue clouds will be left for us to see!

Risks • Risks and opportunities are always bundled. – Walk away from the opportunity and you won’t have the risk. – But the opportunities are also lost. • However, opportunities almost always get considered first. – Managing risks costs money and nobody sees the value. Not seeking the opportunity would mean a direct loss to the bottom line. • When management wants to leverage something, it will be less concerned about risks.

Luge Track at the Vancouver Winter Olympics – Nodar Kumaritashvili

Perceived Risks of Cloud Computing – Gartner’s Seven • • Privileged user access Regulatory compliance Data location Data segregation Recovery Investigative support Long-term viability

Risk Landscape of Clouds • • • Authentication Data security and privacy Interfacing with internal systems System availability Business continuity Ownership of content and other legal requirements